Ozil blocked my Arsenal return, says Chelsea newbie

New Chelsea signing Cesc Fabregas has revealed that Arsene Wenger rejected the chance to bring him back to Arsenal this summer.

The Spanish midfielder left Barcelona last week after being deemed surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, and was expected to re-join the Gunners.

However, despite a first refusal clause having been in place to ensure his return to the Emirates Stadium, the London club opted against bringing back their once captain – who left them in 2011 to join his boyhood club.

Fabregas was then free to sign for Chelsea, who paid the £27m fee to snap him up from Barca.

Many were surprised that Arsenal were against the idea of bringing the World Cup winner in, and the player himself says that he spoke to Wenger who said that with Mesut Ozil in his squad he didn’t have room:

“When I decided that my time at Barcelona had ended, I looked for the best option for me,” he is quoted by The Guardian.

“Arsenal was the first option, for contractual reasons. There was a clause that gave them the right to decide. We spoke to Wenger and he said that the space was very well filled by Mesut Özil and it was hard to find a place for both of us in the team.”

Fabregas went on to state that he was always in favour of a Premier League comeback, and that Jose Mourinho’s influence made Chelsea the best choice:

“I wanted to go back to the Premier League and I had to think about what my options were then. I had many very good offers, the logical options.

“I spoke to José Mourinho and he told me that he wanted me there. He convinced me very, very quickly.”